Composite drapery fixture



Nov. 27, 1928.

C. W. KIRSCH COMPOSITE DRAPERY FIXTURE Filed Oct.- 13, 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Nov. 27, 1928.

' c. w. KIRscH comrosxwn DRAPERY FIXTURE Filed Oct. 13, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,693,082 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES VI. KIRSCH, STURGIS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO KIRSCH MANUFACTUR-ING- OQMPANY, OF STUIRGIS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

COMPOSITE DRAPERY FIXTURE.

Application filed october 13, 1926v Serial No. 141,257.

This invention relates to fixtures employed or window and other draping,and has :tor its object to provide a device of this character whichconsists of a main element, such as an ordinary curtain-rod of the V-shaped type, and auxiliary adjustable and detachable parts for mountingeither an additional curtain or drapery rod or rods, or a shade rolleror both on the main element, and for adapting the latter or an auxiliaryrod carried thereby, to receive draperies of the pull-string type asdistinguished from the ordinary type.

Modern window draping includes, in many instances, three sets of drapesfor some windows, two sets for others and one set for still others. Oneor more window-shades are also commonly used in conjunction with thedrapes and, where more than one windowshade is used, it is frequentlynecessary to mount the second shade roller outwardly of thewindow-casing. In draping glass doors, window-sashes, etc., it isdesirable that the window-shade, if employed, shall constitute a part ofa single drapery fixture and it is the purpose and intent of thisinvention to provide attachments for a conventional type of curtain ordrapery fixture to readily adapt the same to practically every draperyscheme, with or without the addition 01 a windowshade.

Such a composite or combination fixture is not only advantageous fromthe standpoint of low cost, but also from the standpoint of compactness,ease of attachment and neat appearance, but from the point of view ofthe dealer, it possesses the great advantage of being enabled to meetthe demands of the consumer from a comparatively small stock requiringonly a limited capital investment.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawingsincludes the now most popular flat type. of hollow curtain or draperyrod, it being quite obvious that the several composite elements of thewhole structure may be adapted for other types and shapes of rodswithout the exercise of invention.

The particular type of rod preferred to be employed in connection withthe several attachments illustrated, is that which is disclosed inLetters Patent No. 1,250,190, granted to me Dec. 18, 1917 having asingle piece or integral middle or rod element. The brackets employedare preferably of the type rod constituting the principal ormasterfixture.

Figs. 4t and 5 are perspective views of auxiliary shade-rollersupporting attachments adapted to be mounted in the main attachmentsillustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fixture of Fig. 1 showing stillother attachments mounted thereon.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the inner face of the rodor master fixture,

showing sheave bloc is attached thereto.

Fig. 8 is a detail section on the line 88 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a plan section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective views of the sheave blocks detached fromthe master fixture.

While the present invention relates to a composite fixture equipped withdetachable parts, it will be understood, of course, that the saiddetachable parts may be permanently associated with the master fixturein any wellknown manner if desired, without the exercise of invention.Also that the attachments per se are useless without a master fixtureand are, therefore, a part of the latter ust as fully and entirely as itpermanently secured thereto.

The master fixture or drapery rod per se is, as previously stated,preferably of the particular type illustrated and described in LettersPatent No. 1,250,190, which consists of a single straight piece 1 ofhollow rod which may be conveniently defined as sub stantially ofC-shaped section. This is now a conventional shape. On the ends of thisrod 1 there are detachabl. telescopically mounted two bracket mem ers 2of L-shape, the outer end portions of whose arms are of the samecross-sectional shape as the rod 1 and sufficiently large to receive andsnugly fit the ends of the latter. The arms of each of the bracketelements 2 are of respectively different lengths so as to permit them tobe interchangeably mounted on the rod 1 for varying the spacing of thelatter from the window casing. Both arms of each bracket element 2 areprovided with means for engaging the free arm with the bracket elements3 on the window casing. The latter and the engaging means aforesaid maybe of any suitable type other than that shown, the latter beingpreferred.

The flanges bordering the slots 4 in the rod 1 and the arms of thebracket elements 2 constitute very convenient means for mountingattachments on said several parts in such manner as to not obstruct theouter surfaces of the front face and upper edges of the rod and torender said attachments substantially invisible fron'x points Within theroom.

The rod 1 and bracket-elements 2 constitute what I shall hereinafterterm the drapery rod. The latter may be used without attachments forordinary curtains; with slides 5 for supporting portiercs or drapes tobe parted when desired; and with sheaveblocks 6 and 7 for use inconnection with the slides 5 and cords for manipulating the latter. Theslides 5 shown are of the type described and claimed in Letters PatentNo. 1,494,428, granted to me on May 2O, 19%. The sheave-blocks 6 and 7are somewhat similar to thoseshown and described in Letters Patent No.1,494,429, granted to me on May 20, 1924c, in so far as they are somehat similarly clamped in place.

It will be noted by reference to Figs. 8 to 10, that the sheave-blocks 6and 7 consist of cl-shaped sheet metal members, the arms of which areparallel. Between the latter there is mounted at least one sheave 9 having a central opening corresponding in diameter with a perforation inone of said arms and of larger diameter than the opposite perforation inthe other arm. A set-screw having a long cylindrical head 10 and athreaded shank 11, corresponding in diameter respectively with saidseveral perforations, is passed through said arms and the bore of thesheave 9, the latter being thus rotatably mounted onthe head 10 of saidset-screw. The threaded shank 11 of the latter is engaged in thethreaded opening in a nut or plate 12 which is disposed within the rodso that said flanges of the latter bordering the slot 41 will, byrotating the set-screw in one direction, be clamped between one arm ofthe sheaveblocl: and said nut or plate 12. The arm of the sheave-blockin contact with said flanges is provided with projections 13 which arebent to partly embrace the curved outer edge portions of the rod to holdsaid block against pivotal movement relatively to the rod. By disposingthe nut and the opposed arm of the sheave-block so as to engage theover-lapped flanges of the rod 1 and a bracket element 2, thelast-mentioned elements may be clamped together.

The above construction is decidedly advantageous, in that the setscrewperforms the several functions of permitting easy as sembly of theblock, sheave and nut. And the whole structure, namely, the rod 1,bracket elements 2 and sheave-block and sheave are maintained inproperly assembled relation by the single set-screw.

Where, as in the sheave-block 6, an additional sheave 14 is provided,the latter is equipped with integral trunnions which are sprung intoperforations in the arms of the sheave-block. Said sheave 1 1 is ofsmaller diameter than the sheave 9 so that cords trained over therespective sheaves and engaged with the master-slides at the meeting topcorners of drapes, will not be disposed to interfere with each other.

it is obviously necessary that the outer edges of the dra es of thepull-string type shall be secured a ainst moving away from thebracket-elements 2 as the meeting edges are pulled toward each other toclose a gap. This may is accomplished by disposing a slide 5 behind.each of the sheave-blocks and one or more thereof on each of the armsextending to the wall-brackets, unless the space available for thatpurpose is lacking, because of the presence of the rod and shade-rollersupports 15.

Each of the latter comprises a middle or bridge-plate 16 adapted to bedisposed within the rod and which is equipped with endfianges indicatedby the numerals 15, said flanges being narrower than the bridge-plate16, being so rendered by the recesses 15 therein to receive the flangesbordering the. slot l, and the exposed portions of said fan es extendingconsiderably above and below the said narrower portions and being ofconsiderable width. The said flanges are spaced apart a distance equalto that separating the front and rear faces of the rod 1 and are held inthis spaced relation by a spacing rivet 1. which constitutes a supportfor a second rod 1, or for the bottom portion of a shade-rollersupporting device hereinafter described. The said spacing rivet 17 is sodisposed that a rod 1 supported at its ends upon said rivets in opposedsupporting devices 15 will have its upper and lower edges disposed flushwith those of the first-mentioned rod 1 and equally far below and abovethe upper and lower edges of the arms of the elements 2. A. bowed flatspring 18 mounted on the bridge-plate 16 bears at its ends against theouter wall of the bracket-element for frictional engagement to resistfree sliding movement of the member 15. The latter is provided with twoperforated, downwardly extending projections 19 for permitting the outeredges of drapes to be secured thereto.

The members 15 are also adapted to receive the window-shade rollerfixtures 20 and 21, which differ from each other only with respect tothe openings to receive the respective end-elements of the conventionalshaderoller. Each of said fixtures 20 and 21 consists of a U-shapedmetal plate, the middle portion or bottom of which is adapted to restupon the rivet 17. The inner flanges 22 of said members are provided atthe sides of their free ends with projections 23 which are adapted to bedisposed between the edges of the flanges 15 and the opposed flanges ofthe bracket-elements 2 and to rest at their lower edges, upon thebottoms of recesses l5 con st-ituting the narrow portions of the flanges15 which pass through the slot 4:. The outer flanges 23 of said members21 and 22 are provided with openings to receive the end members of theconventional window-shade roller.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the master-fixture,consisting of the rod 1, the bracket-elements 2 and the wall plates, maybe built up at small cost to suit almost every drapery scheme, the solelimitation. residing in the length of the arms of the bracket-elements 2which attach to the wall plates. A decided commercial advan tageincident to this invention resides in the 'l'actithat the needs ofpatrons can be readily supplied by dealers from comparatively smallstocks, and the advantage from the consumers standpoint lies in ease ofmounting, low cost and range of adaptability to changing styles ofdraperies.

I claim as my invention:

1. A drapery fixture including a master rod provided at its ends witharms, the latter having longitudinal slots in their opposed faces, saidslots bordered by flanges, auxiliary fixtures such as a curtain rod orwindowshade roller fixtures associated with the master rod, and bracketseach housed in part by said arms and engaged with the flanges borderingsaid slots for interchangeably engaging and supporting said auxiliaryfixtures.

2. A curtain rod including a master rod having hollow arms each providedin the face opposing the other with a longitudinal slot, an auxiliaryfixture disposed behind the main portion of the rod, auxiliary fixturesupporting devices adjustably mounted on said arms and each including apart disposed within and engaging an inner surface of the rod and aprotruding portion, the latter including substantially parallel verticalflanges between which the end portions of the auxiliary fixture areconfined and a transverse support upon which the end portions of theauxiliary fixture are supported, said flanges adapted tomaintain theauxiliary fixture in predetermined position on said support.

3. A draperysupporting fixture including a master curtain rod havingend-arms, and an auxiliary fixture, supporting devices for saidauxiliary fixture mounted'on said arms and including supporting elementsand retaining flanges, the latter and said supporting elementsrelatively arranged and spaced to adapt the same to receive a rodcorresponding in shape to and in cross-sectional dimensions with themain portion of the master rod at the same elevation as the latter, andremovable window-shade roller fixtures for said supporting devices, eachincluding a flange having openings to receive the end elements of aconventional shade-roller, and interengaging means on said shade-rollerfixtures and said supporting devices for retaining the former in placeupon the latter, said shade-roller fixtures interchangeable with saidauxiliary rod. I

4. Auxiliary adjustable fixture supporting means for hollow curtain rodshaving a longitudinal slot, comprising a pair of opposed socket-elementsopen at the top for receiving the ends of a rod or shade-rollerfixtures, a memberrigid with said socket-element disposed within therod, a spring on said memher for hearing on an inner surface of the rod,and recesses in said member for receiving the edges of the flangesbordering the slot in the rod, said spring serving to maintain a wall ofeach recess in firm contact with one of said flanges.

5. Auxiliary fixture supporting means for curtain rods including socketmembers open at the top for interchangeably receiving the ends of a rodor window-shade roller 'fixtures, window-shade roller fixtures formed tofit said socket member, and interengaging formation on the latter andthe former for maintaining the same in interengaged relation.

CHARLES W. KIRSCH.

